The governing board must review the committee structure, terms of reference for each committee and the membership of each committee on an annual basis.

Terms of Reference

The following committees established by the governing board comply with The School Governance (Role, Procedures and Allowances) (England) Regulations 2013.

The head teacher can attend all meetings of any committee established by the governing board but in some instances this may only be in an advisory capacity. When an issue is being discussed which directly affects the head teacher/principal they must, as with any other governor in a similar position, declare an interest and physically withdraw from the meeting.

In maintained schools the quorum for a meeting of the full governing board and for any vote on any matter at such meeting, is one half (rounded up to a whole number) of the membership of the governing board at the time of the meeting not including any vacant positions. For academies and free schools please refer to their articles of association for the quorum. In the event of equal votes the chair has the casting vote.

Committees

The legal minimum quorum for committee meetings is three voting governors. The quorum for committees will only include associate members where a voting right has been granted by the governing board.

In maintained schools the governing board can appoint associate members to serve on one or more committees of the board. Associate members can attend full governing board meetings but may be excluded from any part of a meeting where the business being considered concerns a member of school staff or an individual pupil. They can be appointed for a period of between one and four years and re-appointed at the end of their term. Associate members are not governors and they are not recorded in the instrument of government(Extracted from Governance Handbook January 2017 – Page 50, paragraph 42). Associate members do not have voting rights at full board meetings.

NB: Associate members are not governors and therefore do not have a vote in full governing board decisions, but may be given a vote on decisions made by committees to which they are appointed.

No vote on any matter can be taken at a committee meeting unless the majority of members present are members of the governing board.

The appointed clerk will undertake the clerking of the committees.

The committee minutes shall be included as an agenda item for consideration/information at the next meeting of the full governing board where appropriate.

All decisions made by committees with delegated powers should be reported to the next full meeting of the governing board. If the minutes are not finalised a brief statement of the conclusions reached should be given.

The chair of the committee will be appointed at the first full governing board/committee meeting of the academic year. Governors who are employed by the school are not eligible to be appointed as chair.

Review and monitor attendance data against school and national targets.

Premises, Health and Safety:

Review the health and safety policy on an annual basis, amend, develop and review any other health and safety related polices or procedures.

Establish and review an accessibility plan.

Review e-safety policy and procedures.

Receive Health and safety audit, and monitor any action plans that come out of the audit.

Receive a regular report on accident statistics, near misses, incidents of violence or aggression and any RIDDOR incidents.

Consider any reports provided by inspectors of the enforcing authority under Health and Safety at work Act or any other relevant enforcement authority.

Comply with current fire safety legislation and regulations: ‘level one’ fire risk assessment should be carried out by the school on an annual basis; ‘level 2’ or technical fire risk assessment is reviewed bi-annually (Sandwell Specific).

Ensure risk assessments are carried out and reviewed on a regular basis.

Review and approve upcoming offsite activities, ensuring that health and safety planning and risk assessments have been undertaken for them.

Ensure Fire risk assessment is carried out and reviewed annually, any recommendations identified will be transferred to an actions plan which will be monitored by governors to ensure completion.

Ensure fire log book is maintained and updated.

Inspect the school site and buildings to enable maintenance and improvement, including security (site visit). The inspection to be documented and any actions monitored.

Ensure building related maintenance checks have been carried out at appropriate intervals and actions are monitored until completion. This will include but not limited to:

Electronic testing – PAT testing

Asbestos (where applicable)

Annual gas service

Glassing risk assessment

Ladder log

Playground equipment and gym inspection

Lifting equipment

Local exhaust ventilation (where applicable)

Legionella risk assessment and relevant checks

Ensure premise log book is being maintained and the premise manager and deputy have attended relevant health and safety training.

Governors need to be satisfied that contractors do not pose a health and safety risk whilst on the school premise and should therefore have a system in place to ensure contractors are managed whilst carrying out work on the school premise. The system should identify relevant health and safety information required prior to a contractor coming on site and the process to be followed whilst on site. There should be a procedure for commissioning contractors.

Consideration should be given to any health, safety and welfare implications posed by new equipment or circumstances.

Receive reports and audits from health and safety representatives (to include caretaking and cleaning), actions identified should be monitored to completion.

Health and safety self-monitoring return.

Monitor the health and safety training that staff and governors have undertaken and plan any future training required.

Monitor all safeguarding procedures.

Keep up to date on any changes in health and safety legislation that may have an impact for the school.

Review communications and publicity relating to health and safety in the school and where necessary recommend any improvements or changes, how information is communicated and made available within the school.

Receive minutes of school central safety committee.

Any item referred by the full governing board

Membership

Deirdre Birch

Jaime Goreham

Tony James

Juskaran Kooner

Dawn Lovett

Minimum of three members required

Chair of Committee

Jaime Goreham

Clerk

Julie Hayes

Staffing Committee

The committee has responsibility delegated by the governing board for hearing:

Staff grievance and discipline (in line with school policies)

Staff dismissal, redundancy and redeployment

Staff capability/management of absence

Membership

To be made up of members who have no awareness of the original incident and are not known personally to the member of staff

Minimum of three members required

Chair of Committee

To be elected at each meeting

Clerk

Pupil Discipline Committee

The committee has responsibility delegated by the governing board to:

Review the use of exclusions within school, including exclusions of more than 15 school days and exclusions which would result in a pupil missing the opportunity to take a public exam.

Receive and consider any representations lodged by parents of pupils who have been excluded for a fixed term or permanently.

Comply with exclusion procedures in accordance with the LA & DfE guidance.

Any item referred by the full governing board

Membership

To be made up of members who have no awareness of the original incident and are not known personally to the appellant parents or pupils.

Minimum of three members required

Chair of Committee

Clerk

Complaints Committee

The committee has responsibility delegated by the governing board to:

At the relevant stage, hear any complaint made under the school complaints procedures.

Any item referred by the full governing board

Membership

To be made up of members who have no awareness of the original incident and are not known personally to the complainant.

Minimum of three members required

Chair of Committee

Clerk

Appeals Committee

The committee has responsibility delegated by the governing board for hearing appeals with regard to:

Pay

Redundancy

Staff grievance

Leave of absence – if appropriate

Staff dismissal

Any Item referred by the full governing board

When dealing with an appeal the committee should be equal to or greater than the original committee that made the decision.

Membership

To be made up of members who have no awareness of the original incident and are not known personally to the appellant.

Membership

The committee has responsibility delegated by the governing board for:

Meet the external advisor to discuss the Head Teacher’s performance targets.

Decide whether targets have been met and set new targets annually.

Recommend pay progression to the relevant committee.

Undertake mid-year monitoring of the Head Teacher’s performance against targets.

Committee to meet once per year in the autumn term and also again during the annual cycle to review objectives.

Membership

Deirdre Birch

Felicity Somervell

Petra Stanaway

Chair of Committee

TBC

Clerk

N/A

Selection Panel

The panel has responsibility delegated by the governing board for:

Selection of the Head Teacher and deputy Head Teacher

Guidance on this process will be provided by your School Improvement Partner.

The appointment must always be ratified by the full governing board.

Membership

All members must be available at all stages of the process.

Chair of Committee

To be elected at each meeting

Clerk

Special Responsibility Governors

Safeguarding/ Child Protection Governor *

Chair of Governors

SEND Governor

Farooq Hussain

Health & Safety Governor

Jaime Goreham

Safer Recruitment Governor

Farooq Hussain

Felicity Somervell

Petra Stanaway

Maths Governor

Petra Stanaway

English Governor

Felicity Somervell

Computing Governor

Petra Stanaway

Pupil Premium

Juskaran Kooner / Farooq Hussain

Items Delegated to an Individual(s)

Delegation of expenditure and virements

That sums below £­­­20,000 be delegated to the Head Teacher.

Disposal of surplus stock

Delegated to Head Teacher with the approval of the chair of the governing board.

Delegation of Suspension

That suspension be delegated to the chair in instances where the Head Teacher is the person in question or involved in the case. That the chair be given delegated powers to lift the suspension after taking advice from LA Human Resources or any other organisation providing the service to the school.

Approval for Expenditure

The chair of governors or chair of finance committee be given approval for expenditure above the set limit prior to the finance committee meeting – only in cases of emergency

Appointment of Staff(ensure no appointment is carried out by one person alone)

Lunchtime Staff / Cleaning / Administration Support Staff

Head Teacher / Deputy Head Teacher

Post Line Manager

Educational Support Staff

Head Teacher / Deputy Head Teacher

1 SLT

Business Manager

Head Teacher

2 Governors

Teaching Staff

Head Teacher

1 Governor

Senior Leadership Team

* Head Teacher and Deputy Head Teacher appointments must be ratified by the relevant body.